


What Is Home?

by HallowsEve1031



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alex Has Anxiety (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex Has Bad Parents (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex is a little ooc, Alex-centric, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Partying, Underage Drinking, Underage Smoking, also just mentioned - Freeform, although not wrote out just mentioned, idk what else to tag, mild child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:20:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27631313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HallowsEve1031/pseuds/HallowsEve1031
Summary: Alex’s parents found out he was gay and they told him he’s not to see Luke or Reggie again and if he did they’d punish him. Afraid of being punished, he didn’t. He avoided them in school and had quit the band. A couple of months pass and Alex is different. He parties, drinks, smokes to cope with the abuse at home. Luke and Reggie, being concerned by the fact Alex left them without a word, corners him in school one day and they force him to tell them why he’s acting like this. Alex hadn’t even come out to them, planning to do it the next day when his life went to shit. So Alex tells them what happened after giving sarcastic and snappy replies and they tell him to run away. So Alex went home and ran away, straight to the band's studio.
Relationships: Alex & Luke Patterson & Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex & Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex & Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex (Julie and The Phantoms) & Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 84





	What Is Home?

**Author's Note:**

> TW: Mild Child Abuse. Homophobia. Homophobic Language. Smoking. Drinking (although just mentioned).
> 
> \--
> 
> Look at me, not as dark.
> 
> My beta: @a_tomb_with_a_view

Fear — that was the first thing he felt when he saw his mother become furious. The next thing he felt was a stinging pain to his cheek. Bringing his hand up, he gingerly held his reddening cheek as he stared at his mother in shock. She just hit him. His mother just fucking hit him!

“No son of mine will be a fag!” She snarled before calling for his father. Once his father appeared and saw his wife angry, he turned to Alex. “Go ahead, Alexander. Tell your father what you told me.”

Obeying, Alex turned to his father and replied, “I’m gay.” What he wasn’t expecting was a punch to the gut that left him winded.

“I will not tolerate this bullshit!” His father barked, grabbing ahold of Alex’s wrist in a bruising grip and dragging the boy to his room. “You will stay in your room for the rest of the night. You are no longer allowed to hang out with those boys and I forbid you from being in their band. When you go to school, you will not speak to them or even stare at them! Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes sir,” Alex said meekly, rubbing his bruising wrist with tenderness. He flinched when his father slammed the door and locked it. Alex didn’t even know his door could lock from the outside. Tears spilled down his face as he made his way to the bathroom he had in his room and gazed at himself in the mirror. The right side of his face was red from where his mother had slapped him and as he took off his hoodie could he see the bruising wrist and stomach. Wiping away his tears, he made his way back into his room. He changed into sweatpants and a black hoodie; he wasn’t allowed any pink clothes, even before his parents knew he was gay. Climbing into bed, he pulled the covers over his head and slowly drifted off to sleep. 

Arriving at school, he did as his parents told him to do and he kept to himself. He didn’t look at Luke or Reggie once and remained quiet. He avoided the two like a plague; if he saw them walking one way he’d walk the other. After that day he came out, Alex changed. Luke and Reggie watched from the sidelines. They didn’t know what happened to cause Alex to stop talking to them, but they did keep an eye on him. They watched as he changed from an anxious and quiet person to loud and somewhat confident. It was the crowd Alex hung out with.

One day Alex was in class, Luke and Reggie were in there too, when the principal walked in.

“Alexander!” The principal snapped. Alex raised his head and looked at the principal. “My office. Now!”

“Sure, Gary,” Alex said with a huff as he got up and grabbed his bag, following the principal to his office and making himself comfortable in the chair.

“I saw the surveillance camera from outside in the parking lot and it caught you smoking,” Gary said sternly. “No drugs are allowed on campus, therefore I’m suspending you for a week.”

“I don’t think this is fucking fair!” Alex growled.

“This is on you!” Gary said with a smirk. “Now come on. Let’s go get your work from your classes.”

Alex and Gary walked back to the class Alex was in before he was dragged out. Alex stood in front of the class while Gary whispered something to the teacher. The teacher handed Gary a stack of papers and Gary promptly pushed them hard into Alex’s chest.

“Fuck,” Alex groaned as he grabbed ahold of the stack.

“Watch the language!” Gary snapped at Alex, in front of the whole class.

Reggie and Luke watched in shock. This wasn’t the best friend they once knew. Something had happened.

“What are you gonna do, Gary?” Alex taunted. “Suspend me for another week? Go ahead.”

“Let’s go,” Gary said, pushing Alex roughly out of the classroom. Once Alex had gathered all his work, he waited for his mother to come to pick him up. Fuck, his parents. Oh, he was so fucking dead!

Alex saw his mother’s car and walked out to it, getting inside the passenger side and throwing his book bag to the floor.

“You’re so in trouble when we get home!” Alex’s mother snarled before driving away from the school. Remaining quiet, Alex tried to calm down the panic attack that was close to happening.

Stepping inside the house when he got home, he was met with a slap to the face. It didn’t even faze him anymore; he just took the abuse quietly.

“Go to your fucking room!” Alex’s mother ordered. “Your father will talk with you later.”

Alex made his way to his room and closed the door before punching the wall. He didn’t even blink as his knuckles split and started bleeding, he just cleaned them up. When his father did get home and “talk” with him, Alex was left a bloody and bruised mess. The week passed in a blur and before he knew it, he was back at school.

Alex didn’t return to normal, no. If anything, he got worse. Partying and drinking, along with smoking and vaping. Luke and Reggie had had enough and decided to corner Alex one day in the bathroom. Alex was smoking through the window when Luke and Reggie walked in. Once Alex saw the two, he scoffed.

“Be with you in a minute,” he told the two before he finished the cigarette he was working on. When he was done, he threw the bud on the floor, not caring to throw it in the trash. He turned to Luke and Reggie and gave them a look. “Proceed.”

“What happened to you?” Luke demanded. “First you ditch us and don’t speak to us, and now you’re acting like this? You’ve changed.”

“So?” Alex asked with a roll of his eyes. “Why the fuck do you care?”

“Because we’re your best friends,” Reggie answered. “Even though you stopped talking and hanging out with us, we care about you.”

“I don’t see why,” Alex replied with a shrug. “No one cares about me but me. And I hate myself. What’s your point?”

“What he means is that we don’t like the new you,” Luke snapped. “You’re different. Drinking, partying, and smoking. You’ve changed.”

“We miss you, Alex,” Reggie said softly. “Why are you acting like this?”

“I’m not acting like anything,” Alex said, not convincingly.

“Liar!” Luke replied, frustrated. “Stop lying and tell us the damn truth! Why did you stop talking with us? Why did you quit the band?”

“Because my parents made me!” Alex yelled out, fed up with the interrogation. “Are you happy? They found out something about me and told me I wasn’t allowed to see, talk, or hang out with you guys! I had to quit the band and pretend you two didn’t exist.”

“Why?” Reggie asked, voice soft. “What did they find out?”

“They found out I was gay,” Alex replied, looking down at his shoes. “They didn’t like that.”

“Alex,” Luke said, voice soft and not frustrated. “We don’t care that you’re gay.”

“Alex,” Reggie called softly. “What did your parents do when they found out?”

“My mom slapped me and my dad punched me,” Alex answered Reggie. “It hasn’t stopped.” He finally allowed himself to show emotion as tears started falling down his face. “It’s been nearly every day for months that I’ve gotten used to it.”

“Why didn’t you tell us you were gay?” Luke asked curiously.

“I was going to,” Alex assured. “The next day I was planning on telling you guys but then my parents found out and forbid me from talking with you two.”

“Run away!” Reggie said loudly, causing Alex to flinch. “Sorry.” With his voice softer, he continued, “Run away to the studio. You can stay there. I don’t think Bobby will mind. He’s only there for band practice and then he leaves.”

“I didn’t even think of that!” Alex said, groaning. “Fuck, why didn’t I think of that?”

“You had a lot on your mind,” Luke reassured softly. “We’ll see you there tonight, okay?”

Alex nodded, “Okay.” With that, the boy’s parted ways.

When Alex got home, he sighed softly. His parents were at work so he was safe at that moment. Running to his room, he swiftly packed his bags and then left without a note or anything. He made his way to the studio and when he walked in, it was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulder. Luke and Reggie were there, smiling at him.

“Welcome home,” they both said together.

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” Alex said sincerely before pulling them all into a hug.

His parents were never his home, Luke and Reggie were.


End file.
